Emotions run high as fracking divides neighbors

Sunday

Feb 17, 2013 at 2:00 AM

The debate over hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, for shale gas has divided communities in mid-Hudson and the Catskills, which cover Orange, Ulster and Sullivan Counties. Opponentes of fracking cite what they say are environmental dangers. Supporters say it is important for the economy and for energy security and would help cash-strapped farmers.

STEVE ISRAEL

An anti-fracking hunter no longer hunts in the woods he's trod for decades. He says he was made to feel so uncomfortable by the pro-fracking hunting friends who own the land, he just doesn't feel like he's wanted there.

A pro-fracking volunteer at a public radio station quits the station. She feels ostracized because of what she says is the anti-fracking atmosphere.

Then there's the builder of second homes who's potentially put hundreds of thousands of dollars of construction on hold in Sullivan County towns where fracking is a possibility. He's waiting until the state finally decides whether the natural gas extraction process of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, will be permitted.

“Everything has become politicized,” says builder Charles Petersheim seen looking at blueprints for Sullivan County homes. Photo: Dominick Fiorille/Times Herald-Record The possibility of fracking is a divisive issue for many communities.Former Sullivan West Superintendent Ken Hilton, above, voices his concerns during a Town Board meeting Feb. 6 in Callicoon. Photo: Dawn J. Benko/For the Times Herald-Record

Some struggling farmers “wait every day to see what New York is going to do,” says Callicoon Supervisor Tom Bose. Photo: Dawn J. Benko/For the Times Herald-Record

The possibility of fracking – and all its explosive divisiveness – has insinuated itself so deeply into so many aspects of local life, the fabric of that life has been frayed.

That is the one thing both sides of the issue can agree on.

“Everything has become politicized,” says builder Charles Petersheim, who will not build his Catskill Farms homes in certain western Sullivan County towns until the state issues a decision on fracking. “The grocery store, the town board, the chamber of commerce. And there's no rest.”

“I don't think anything has had the impact on the town as much as fracking,” says Town of Highland Supervisor Andy Boyar, whose Delaware River town banned fracking last summer. “The residue, the hard feelings still exist and we need to heal.”

“It's permeating other issues in ways we never would have predicted,” sums up former Sullivan West School District Superintendent Ken Hilton. When his district tried to sell one of its unused schools, the issue of whether to keep or sell the mineral rights for natural gas beneath school property became a point of contention.

From real-estate values that anti-frackers say would plummet and pro-frackers say would soar, to farms that anti - and pro-frackers say would either be ruined or saved, the implications of fracking have, for many local residents, become as much a part of the daily conversation as the weather. And even that weather would be affected by fracking, say those against it, because of the polluting climate change they say fracking would cause.

But nowhere in the region is the reach of the fracking divide more obvious than the town, planning or zoning board meetings of Sullivan County that once attracted a handful of residents but now can be standing-room only whenever there's a chance fracking might be discussed.

Take the recent public hearing on the proposed comprehensive plan – or blueprint for growth – in the western Sullivan Town of Callicoon. The plan includes a provision for gas drilling, which fracking opponents (and the county planning department) want removed and supporters want retained.The steady flow of remarks to the Town Board by the standing-room-only crowd of more than 60 made it obvious that virtually every aspect of local life would be hurt or helped by fracking – depending, of course, how you felt about an “issue (that) can affect us all whether we want it or not,” said Nathan Swenberg.

“Are you really ready to gamble with our tax base, our health, our economy,” asked fracking opponent Jill Wiener, ticking off the areas of local life she said will be at risk if the town allows fracking.

That's why emotions always run high whenever this potential strand in the fabric of local life is mentioned as a possibility. It's no exaggeration to say that for some, the debate over fracking gets at the heart of what local life is all about.

Those for it view it as the key to economic progress and livelihood in this county where the unemployment rate hit 10 percent in December.

Some struggling farmers “wait every day to see what New York is going to do,” says Callicoon Supervisor Tom Bose, who mentions a farmer raising cattle in nearby Broome County who's waiting for gas drilling – and its royalties – to begin, to pay Bose the money he owes him.But those against it say fracking and its industrial activity will ruin the lifeblood of Sullivan – its pristine water and pastoral land.

“I know people in the city who want to buy homes but won't consider the area until this thing is resolved,” says Cristian Graca of Shalom Mountain Retreat in Livingston Manor.Perhaps the biggest impact of the fracking debate has been on the community itself.“A lot of people are unfriendly to one another,” said Earl Myers at that comprehensive plan meeting. John Ebert, who supports fracking and the comprehensive plan, put it like this at that meeting when he said he spoke for “the silent majority of citizens in this township” and expressed a sentiment of the most vocal pro-frackers:

“We also have a minority group with a lot of mouth, money and misinformation to slow progressive progress in this township.”

In fact, fracking is so divisive, and so controversial, some choose not to express their real opinions about it for fear they – or their businesses – will be hurt. Others say longtime acquaintances with opposing views on fracking no longer speak to them because of how they feel.

“If you're not part of the anti-fracking community, you can be blacklisted,” says Petersheim, expressing a sentiment many for fracking say. He's spoken out against the legality of towns trying to zone out fracking, as well as the laws that are supposed to protect roads from fracking truck traffic, but, he says, would also hurt construction activity.

Bose agrees that folks for fracking often remain silent.

“We've seen contractors who can't wait for this to happen, but they're cautious in what they say because they don't want to hurt their business,” he says.

And because whatever decision the state ultimately makes on fracking will bound to be appealed, the divisiveness in so many strands of the fabric of local life is likely to deepen.

That's why Boyar – who mentions the cursing and obscene gestures he's seen because of fracking – speaks not only for his town, but also for just about every area that's been torn by the divisive issue.“The town really has to go through a healing process.” he says. “It really does.”